September 30 - October 2, 1941 the Wehrmacht launched Operation "Typhoon".

Podil's'ki artillery and infantry schools were established in the 1939-1940-ies. Before the Great Patriotic War, they were trained up to 3 thousand. Man. Chief of Podolsk infantry school was Major-General Vasily Smirnov and Podolsky Artillery College Colonel Ivan Strelbitsky. With the outbreak of war in these schools were sent students Komsomol members from different higher educational institutions of the USSR. 3-year program of study has been reduced to 6-month. Many of the cadets schools had before entered the fray, having studied only one month - September.



At the beginning of September 30 - October 2, 1941 the Wehrmacht launched Operation "Typhoon". October 5 enemy units seized Yukhnov, and reached the approaches to Maloyaroslavets. In defense of the Soviet troops in the combat area Ilyinsk Mozhaiskaya line of defense of the capital was formed gap, which the German command could be used for access to Moscow. The same day the column of the enemy - 20 thousand. Infantry and 200 tanks, which moved to Warsaw highway, aerial reconnaissance discovered.
There was no way, only a reserve in this area were only young men of these schools. October 5 about 2 thousand. Students artillery and 1, 5 thousand. Infantry School students were removed from the alarm classes and focus on defense Maloyaroslavets. Composite detachment Podolsk cadets tasked to block the path of German troops to the battle site Ilyinsk about 5-7 days until they are transferred reserves.
October 6, 1941 the party arrived at the battle site Il'inskii Maloyaroslavskogo fortified and took up defensive positions along the rivers and Vypreyka puddle from the village to Lukyanovo Minor Shubeyki. There were constructed of reinforced concrete pillboxes two lines, but their construction is not complete in time - there was no masking broneschitami of loopholes. Cadets who have established their artillery training in pre-arranged pillboxes and took up defensive positions at the front of 10 kilometers, only 300 people per kilometer. Together with local residents they hastily fortified frontiers, dug anti-tank ditch.



Even before the major battles, the vanguard of the students met with a detachment of Marines Captain Storchak. During the day the Marines held off the enemy at the turn of the east bank of the river Ugra. Together with students, they decided to organize a counterattack night, it was a surprise to the Germans. Marines and cadets, holding the onslaught of the enemy, gradually retreated to the main line of defense - Ilyinsk. 5 days of fighting, they knocked out 20 tanks, 10 armored vehicles, destroyed up to 1 thousand. Enemies. But they themselves suffered heavy losses in the cadet battalions of the vanguard killed up to two-thirds of the personnel.
On the morning of October 11 the enemy began fighting - position Podolsky combined detachment underwent massive air strikes and artillery fire. After that tried to cross the bridge the bridge column of enemy armored vehicles and infantry. But the German attack repelled.



October 13 in the afternoon, a tank landing Nazis forces in 15 tanks was able to bypass the 3rd Battalion, enter the Warsaw highway in the rear of the squad. The Germans went stratagem to deceive and cadets tanks fastened red flags. But the deception was discovered, and attempt to attack from the rear failed. In a fierce battle, the enemy was destroyed.
Failed attempts to break the spirit of the Soviet cadets with promotional leaflets. "Red cadets' called to surrender their will to break the false message that the Warsaw highway captured almost to Moscow, the capital of the USSR and capture a day or two. But no one gave up!
Soviet youth fight to the death, surviving artillery and air strikes. Melted forces ended ammunition, September 16 in the ranks there are only 5 pieces. That same day, after a powerful fire attack on all fronts defense, the Wehrmacht was able to capture defensive lines Ilyinsk site and then only after almost all of the students who are the defenders were killed. Delayed until the evening the enemy advance dot on the highway near the village of Sergeevka, they commanded the commander of the 4th battery Lieutenant AI Alyoshkin. Calculation of 45-mm cannon knocked several enemy combat vehicles. Only when it got dark, the enemy infantry was able to go to the rear of the garrison bunker and threw grenades.



October 17 command post detachment was moved to Lukyanov. More students for 2 days and defended Lukyanovo Kudinovo. October 19 fighters defending Kudinovo were taken in the encirclement, but they managed to break out of it. On the same day the students received the order to retreat. October 20 the few surviving students Podolsky combined detachment began to retreat for a reunion with the troops that occupied defensive positions on the River Nar. October 25 published their cadets sent to Ivanovo to complete the training.
In this fierce battle Podolsky combined unit lost about 2,500 students, and the enemy lost about 5 thousand. People and up to 100 tanks were destroyed and damaged. They performed their task - the enemy was detained during won.



Lieutenant Alyoshkin. His dot Germans nicknamed "pillbox come alive." The fact that Aleshkina managed to disguise his pillbox so well that the Germans did not at first understand where to shoot him and then, when they already have rooted up from the land of heavy mortars, concrete bunkers were bare hips. Security door and broneschitami did not exist, any shell exploded near constantly hurt our heroes, our boys But Alyoshkin chose a different tactic: the moment when the Germans, finding his bunker, rolled anti-aircraft guns and point-blank shot at the bunker, aleshkintsy took his gun, wheeled her to an alternate position and waited, when will the frontal fire. The Germans have seen with our eyes, what's inside the bunker shells are broken, well, nothing living there can not stay, and re calm, waddle, stormed, they believed that destroyed all the students, and that could remain alive after this devastating fire. But at some point the dot revived and starting again! Shoot: guys rolled into the broken dot gun and again opened fire on the enemy soldiers and tanks. The Germans were shocked!
Here's how they portrayed pillboxes Podolsk cadets, describing fantastic strengthening and concrete tunnels:



But that was actually:



Eternal memory to the heroes!